Ark burns US warehouse crate?

soapboxtop

New member
My apology if this was already discussed, I searched and couldn't find the topic...


I was reading an Amazon comment on the new box set DVDs, somebody said the scene where the ark at the end burns the logo of the crate it's in is not in the movie. I was stunned, because I remember this scene!

Before I go any further, I live in the US now, but when Raiders came out I lived in France. Anyway, I saw the scene and remember it, so I know for a fact that this is not urban legend as some U.S. fans were implying at another board I saw.

I rented the movies in a box set a few days ago and checked. The scene is, you guessed it, NOT in the movie!!! (and yes, it'd been years since I saw the movie so this was my first US video of Raiders I watched). Was this scene EVER used here in the US? If so, why was it edited out?

Anyway, what's the deal here? :confused:
 
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The scene is on the Region 4 Australian DVD. :cool: The Aussie DVD's are great, nothing has been changed from the original trilogy apart from removing the snake's reflection in Raiders. :D
 

soapboxtop

New member
That's just amazing! I guess Spielberg and Lucas didn't want to **** off some americans with the US logo burning. That's too bad. It's such an important scene.
 

theinfiniteweird

New member
In my version I had- I live in Texas, got the wide screen VHS with the short interviews at the end-, it definitely has it.

And yes, it's a Nazi symbol, not an American symbol. Why would a French Archeologist and Nazi troops (working in Cairo at the time) store something in an American crate? Kind of funny if you think about it like that. :p
 

Aaron H

Moderator Emeritus
The Nazi symbol burns away in the ship's hold...that is on all the regions.
However, on the Region 1 (and I presume Region 2) discs the final scene in the warehouse that has the American flag being burned away was cut.
Personally, I wish they had kept it in like it was for original theater release. It made a statement that no one, not even a government, can contain or control God.
 

Stoo

Well-known member
Aaron H said:
However, on the Region 1 (and I presume Region 2) discs the final scene in the warehouse that has the American flag being burned away was cut.
Personally, I wish they had kept it in like it was for original theater release.

What? Are you kidding? I don't remember that?!?! :confused:
Please, refresh my memory!! :)

Here's another "missing scene" story:
I saw "Raiders" 3 times in '81. The last 2 had Forrestal's trap scene
cut out right after "Stay out of the light". When it was re-released
a few years later, Forrestal was back! In all his gruesome glory. :dead:
 

Aaron H

Moderator Emeritus
Whilst I was not alive in '81...my parents were...and they swear up-and-down that there was such a scene. I have seen the clip myself I know it to be true.
 

Stoo

Well-known member
I don't disbelieve you. I'm just freaking out!
Where did you see this scene and can you
describe it in any more detail? I'm extremely
curious about this. :D
 

VP

Moderator Emeritus
Tell me more, I'm interested. I have never seen this scene or even heard about it.

I have noticed two things that they changed for the DVD's: The snake reflection is deleted and the music is louder.
 

Aaron H

Moderator Emeritus
It is just like the scene in the ship's hold. Instead of the Nazi symbol being burned away, however, the Top Secret Property of the US GOVT. symbol burns away. Then it goes to the long shot of the warehouse.
 

Joe Brody

Well-known member
Aaron H said:
It is just like the scene in the ship's hold. Instead of the Nazi symbol being burned away, however, the Top Secret Property of the US GOVT. symbol burns away. Then it goes to the long shot of the warehouse.


Aaron, I've got no memory of this. In your prior post you reference discs. Is the scene in the U.S. warehouses on the old VHS (McDonald's vintage) tapes? If so, I'll have to blow the dust off the tape and check it out.
 

Stoo

Well-known member
Well, all the crates read "Top Secret Army Intel" and do not mention
"U.S. Gov't". Anyways, I'm assuming that's what you meant. :)

Aaron, you say you've actaully seen the shot. Where??? :confused:
I saw the movie opening week (in Canada) and have never
seen or heard of this until now.

Do you know if yours parents saw it together or seperately?
 

Joe Brody

Well-known member
There's no second crate-burning in the '91 McDonald's vintage VHS. The markings on the crate are pretty bland -- so I don't see the dramatic effect of the markings being burnt-off (there's no seal of the Army, etc.). And the sequence really wouldn't work if there was another close-up. The scene goes close-up of the markings being painted on the crate. Then a shot pulling back showing the crate being pushed down the aisle -- to the big pull back to the warehouse. Credits start to run over the wide shot and then fade to black with the credits still running. Credits run to the reversion back to the Paramount logo and then that's it.

Sorry Aaron, but I have no memory of the second burning in the original. I'm gonna say a friendly Bullsh*t on this one.

[Incidentally, I'm in the same bind in another film. At the end of the original Murder By Death, the Sidney Wang character and his adopted son are fleeing the mansion in their car. They come across a lost Sherlock Holmes and Watson type who ask directions. They give the directions. This sequence has been dropped from all versions -- I assume because of some copyright flap. I have no proof it was in the actual film but I know it was there. So I feel for you -- and acknowledge that you may well be right.]
 
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